Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo slashed school aid across the state. This year, he plans to add back much of what was lost — but there’s a catch.

Districts will get the money only if they roll out controversial new teacher evaluations according to an accelerated timeline, Cuomo announced in a hotly anticipated speech in Albany today.

He also outlined a procedure by which new evaluations could be put into effect even without local unions’ agreement, which a state law passed in 2010 requires.

Cuomo kicked off the procedure today with an ultimatum: He demanded that the state teachers union, NYSUT, drop its lawsuit over the evaluations and settle on a “protocol” for new evaluations with the State Education Department within 30 days.

“If they can’t do that then we’ll do it for them,” Cuomo said in his address today. Using the state’s unusual Article 7 process, Cuomo could use a budget amendment to change the state’s teacher evaluation law — possibly by striking the requirement for districts and unions to negotiate some details locally.

For now, local districts and their unions would still have to sign off on evaluation plans even if NYSUT resolves its issues with the state. Districts that do so by Sept. 1 will be able to compete for $250 million in state funds, Cuomo said today. If they miss that deadline, they will have until Jan. 17, 2013 — a year from today — to settle on new evaluations or give up the 4 percent increase in state aid.

“The equation is simple at the end of the day: No evaluations, no money, period,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo’s gambit raises the stakes for districts to hash out evaluations deals. The $800,000 in school aid increases he staked on the evaluations nearly doubles the $1 billion in federal dollars already on the line. But unlike the federal funding, which must be used for a narrow set of purposes, districts could decide exactly how to deploy added state aid.

Cuomo’s move is meant to force local districts to put aside their differences on evaluations and also to divide teachers unions, which the governor has blamed for the evaluations holdup, from their supporters in the legislature. The budget must be approved by the end of March, and if legislators plan to oppose the evaluations requirement, they’ll risk holding up the entire budget.

The move won plaudits from State Education Commissioner John King, who last month cut off federal funding for struggling schools in 10 school districts, including New York City, that failed to meet a Dec. 31 evaluation deadline.

“I’m hopeful that the governor’s added leadership here will help us get implementation on track,” King said in a phone call with reporters.

It’s not clear how New York City would fit into Cuomo’s plan. The UFT, not NYSUT, is the bargaining agent here, and the union is petitioning for a formal impasse in negotiations to be declared. Meanwhile, Mayor Bloomberg, who lauded Cuomo’s efforts today, last week changed some of the city’s school reform plans to circumvent the union entirely.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew praised Cuomo’s negotiation deadline. He also once again blamed Bloomberg for the stalled efforts on negotiations and reiterated a call for the city to restart talks.

“There is nothing I can do about the fact that the mayor has publicly come out and said, ‘I will no longer talk to the UFT about evaluations,” Mulgrew said today at a press conference. “I am hoping now with the governor’s proposal today that will get the city back to the table to get this issue solved.”

Joe Williams, the head of Democrats for Education Reform, praised Cuomo’s leadership in a statement but said resolving the evaluations impasse in New York City would require additional efforts.

“If the governor succeeds in NYC, he will have helped restore the public’s shaken faith in public education,” Williams said.

Cuomo also announced today that he is using the budget to seek curbs on state policies for teacher discipline hearings, reserve a pot of money for districts whose students post higher test scores, and ensure that Regents exams won’t be threatened again, as they were this year.

ARTICLE COMMENTS

Vote NO!

“Cuomo kicked off the procedure today with an ultimatum: He demanded that
the state teachers union, NYSUT, drop its lawsuit over the evaluations
and settle on a “protocol” for new evaluations with the State Education
Department within 30 days.”

Why should NYSUT drop its lawsuit? IT WON! The State should drop its appeal. How can a politician demand that it’s citizens, or bargaining unit for its citizens give up their access to the courts? That is not democracy..it’s dictatorship! I have supported the Democrats in every election since 1984..Yes I voted for Mondale!

Never have I ever felt a “stab in the back” like I do today! NEVER AGAIN will I vote for the Democrats!

Sage veteran

I am a 61 year old veteran teacher. Been teaching for 31 years. My abilities to cajole reading skills and love of learning into my students now are in a stratosphere I wasn’t even aware existed when I began teaching. It took a good 20 years to get to this place, and I am not a slow learner.
Bottom line is that the government and the 1%ers do not want to pay pension, do not want an educated populace, and above all, are using the creation, publication, and administration of the tests as a vehicle through which to make yet more money. The Race to the Top funding is not intended for anything other than evaluations and testing. The public should be aware of this extremely important fact. The media is shaping information to bias those who need to most be aware of the truth, and the whole truth.No one is saying it but the whole idea is to pit the 99% against each other. “Oh, You have a pension, I don’t have one, so you shouldn’t have one either. Oh, You have medical insurance, I don’t have that, so you shouldn’t have it either”. Point is, we should all have both, along with the social security that we’ve contributed to our entire working lives.

Wake up America! Too soon will be too late.

Nycdoenuts

Wow! So he breaks the law (according to a court ruling) and then -as he’s appealing the court ruling against him- tells NYSUT to back down or he’ll just change the law altogether.

I really really wish NYSUT would just call his bluff, let him start the war with Silver that everyone is talking about and make him change the law.

That said, the guy is a brilliant politician.

Flerp

It’s a gambit, not a bluff. (He’s not bluffing, and he’s probably on solid constitutional ground.)

If the union accepts the gambit and digs in, this is the war: the legislature can (1) accept the budget as presented by Cuomo; (2) modify the budget by “reducing” or “deleting” specific appropriations (as long as they do NOT otherwise alter them substantively); (3) reject Cuomo’s appropriations and pass its own budget, which Cuomo is free to veto; or (4) refuse to act on the budget and negotiate a new one with Cuomo. If Cuomo knows how that plays out, then maybe he is a brilliant politician. Very interesting stuff.

JEFF S

I hope the UFT and its members, for their own sakes, understand what is gong on here and why they have to stand fast and if it means the city loses the money, then so be it. Precious little of that money will be going to the kids anyway; much of it will be used to develop assessments in the many many subject areas, especially on the secondary level, where assessments do not presently exist just so they can have ammunition to declare more teachers ineffective.

Let them go to the new turn around reform. Don’t be scared when they start talking about half of the teachers in a given school losing their jobs. Because these teah=achers will not be losing their jobs. They will simply go into the ATR and keep their jobs waiting for the day when the Emperor is finally out of office along with lackey Walcott. In the interim, they keep their jobs. Giving in now and not having a proper appeals procedure in place, will allow the many Principals from the Leadership Academy as well as those who should know better such as Ms. Reidy to continue terrorizing teachers with their new found power. Of course, just like police officers, they will be given quotas of finding vast number of teachers either developing and ineffective and without the ability to protect the members from thee arbitrary ratings, they will lose their jobs. That is the ultimate goal of the Emperor and his lackey. And of course the $20,000 bonus promised. How many teachers will the Emperor allow each Principal to so designate. One per school? Makes for a great deal of collegiality, doesn’ty it. Mulgrew has got to stand up to the Emperor, lackey Walcott, Cuomo and whomever and not give in on this issue. Dare them to take away the money. It won’t be going to the kids of teachers anyway, not one cent of it.

Follow the Money

Democracy at work?

JEFF S

I hope the UFT and its members, for their own sakes, understand what is gong on here and why they have to stand fast and if it means the city loses the money, then so be it. Precious little of that money will be going to the kids anyway; much of it will be used to develop assessments in the many many subject areas, especially on the secondary level, where assessments do not presently exist just so they can have ammunition to declare more teachers ineffective.

Let them go to the new turn around reform. Don’t be scared when they start talking about half of the teachers in a given school losing their jobs. Because these teah=achers will not be losing their jobs. They will simply go into the ATR and keep their jobs waiting for the day when the Emperor is finally out of office along with lackey Walcott. In the interim, they keep their jobs. Giving in now and not having a proper appeals procedure in place, will allow the many Principals from the Leadership Academy as well as those who should know better such as Ms. Reidy to continue terrorizing teachers with their new found power. Of course, just like police officers, they will be given quotas of finding vast number of teachers either developing and ineffective and without the ability to protect the members from thee arbitrary ratings, they will lose their jobs. That is the ultimate goal of the Emperor and his lackey. And of course the $20,000 bonus promised. How many teachers will the Emperor allow each Principal to so designate. One per school? Makes for a great deal of collegiality, doesn’ty it. Mulgrew has got to stand up to the Emperor, lackey Walcott, Cuomo and whomever and not give in on this issue.

Damageinc2012

Jeff S…..

Can you repost your last comment. I think I may have missed your point?

SickofBloomberg

RECALL!!!!! I say if Mr. Cuomo wants to start a war with New York teachers, a war he shall have. He needs us WAY MORE than we need him. NYSUT and the UFT must stand together and stand strong.

Sickofuselessteacers

Another pathetic joke and poster….”War?”. No need. Remember the air traffic controllers? That is the simple and necessary conclusion here. Fire them all, offer a teaching position back to those signing an individual year by year contract with job performance the sole determination for wage increase and future contracts. Done.
Let them try to sue…once the public realizes what is at stake here as far as taxes and the future of their kids and country are concerned, the grassroots groundswell will stop the pathetic “But I am entitled to a job for life lawsuits from the unions.”.

bee

1) What exactly is a “teacer”?
2) I highly recommend the use of a thesaurus; surely there are more creative ways to verbally assault and cast aspersions upon teachers.
3) Here’s a novel concept: teachers are “the public,”teachers are “citizens,” teachers are parents and teachers are taxpayers.
4) It’s very shortsighted and ignorant to blame teachers or unions for all that ails the public schools.

SickofBloomberg

You represent the ignorance and apathy that “reformers” thrive on. The same ignorance and apathy that will result in the downfall of this country. The cracks are forming and the rest of the world is watching and waiting.
Do it, fire all the teachers. Then watch who loses in the end. You are truly an ignorant fool.

Jot

That’s the brothers Flerpi and Littlebrain trying to be funny. They both get off getting under people skin repeating themselves over and over.

Cyrus

First they came for the ATR’s, and I did not speak out because I was not an ATR. Then they came for those who did not have tenure, and I did not speak out because I had tenure. Then they came for the transformation/turnaround teachers, and I did not speak out because I was not a transformation/turnaround teacher. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me. (Bottom line, all NYC teachers will be expendable if this new evaluation system goes into effect. The UFT must not be swayed by blood money which will never be used to benefit our students in any meaningful way)

Vote NO!

You are absolutely correct. This new evaluation law was only created to fire teachers. It will allow districts to keep the turnover rate high, and keep the labor costs low.

Guest

Go easy on the Nazi analogies.

Hilary Lustick

YES! Not to mention “then they came for the DC-37 workers and I did not speak out because the UFT never mentioned who Bloomberg DID layoff when he didn’t lay us off.

michael

Cyrus, You hit it right on the head. Alot of teachers feel that this constant bashing by the DOE does not affect them which is why they see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing, and do nothing. It is a matter of time before they come after you. And that includes all the charter school staff.

I noticed that…

Beautifully rephrased! Pastor Niemoller would be proud of you. I would like to have your permission to use your statements at my next chapter meeting.

I noticed that…

Beautifully rephrased! Pastor Niemoller would be proud of you. I would like to have your permission to use your statements at my next chapter meeting.

I noticed that…

Beautifully rephrased! Pastor Niemoller would be proud of you. I would like to have your permission to use your statements at my next chapter meeting.

Vote NO!

Folks..once you “post.” if it doesn’t go through… wait… even if the ” error” message appears..your post will have been submitted….

InvictusVerus

Let what happened with the DC teacher’s union head be an example of what can happen in NYC…that he was swayed or swayed its membership to sign off for a raise in lieu of implementing such a system…the outcome was decimation of the ranks, as well as sacking of himself and also the Mayor of DC… Perhaps all these politicians are so full of themselves in bravado or self confidence that they feel that they can push all the lamb to the way of no return without much of a complain or pushback but there are winds of change that are slowing picking up in both downstate and upstate…there is only so much that the working and middle class can give in order to fatten the wallets of the eduformers. And if NYC does not get the money, guess who does not get paid? The ineffective outfits that have parasitically taken all the increase in moneys that the SIG and Federal moneys were allocated to, it is not necessarily teacher’s salary. Therefore, I say, call the bluff and let Andy punch and kick the floor as much as he wants. In this one there is no going back. Too much was already given away foolishly by those who were supposed to look out for their membership.

Just a thought

In response to this, I can only hope that the UFT and NYSUT takes out an ad in a newspaper and explains to the public in the most basic of language how unfair this supposed evaluation can and will be. I would ask Mulgrew or who ever it is that writes this response to compare what a similar evaluation would mean to the firefighter, the waiter ,
the chef, the carpenter, the police officer, the cleaning lady that works in a building, so and and so on. I can understand that much of the public does not understand what is really happening – they have their own problems. I surely don’t know about the problems that plague workers in other fields. What I cannot understand is why those who represent us fail to spell out to the PUBLIC the unfairness of what may be coming. I swear – I just haven’t heard it laid out plain and simple. Let others see the unfairness and jeopardy that may be heading towards us and even if it is for a second allow them to apply it to themselves. Equate it to a firefighter losing his job because the hose had holes in it. The man who works in an office with a computer that is set up with programs from 10 years ago or the carpenter who is reprimanded because he was given falty wood to work with. This may sound simplistic even naive for some of the readers here, but my goodness can our Union at least try to spread the truth to a public in a common sense way?

InvictusVerus

The UFT needs to get a better Madison Avenue advertisement agency to really reach out to the public at large. By in large, the biggest failures that IT had delivered to ITSELF has to be with the ineptitude of the public outreach done by what mom’s and pop’s agency it has hired in the past. I call their choice of ad companies a self defeating blunder no worse that the last worst place NBA or NFL team out there hiring the worst defensive coach…it is not for the lack of money or talent. There are only so many mistakes that the UFT can make and still be intact for the future. This challenge that the Deformers have thrown at cannot be met with the same ineptness it has used in the past. It should join forces with all the other unions that are on the line for the beating or worse, demise they might face if they cannot successfully bring out the truth to the public.

Vote NO!

Teaching is more comparable to the Medical profession. ” Teachers and the difficulties with students.” would be comparable to doctors with patients who don’t follow the medical advice or regiment. A teacher can instruct, tell students to do their homework, study their notes…if the student doesn’t do their work or study, and ends up failing a standardized exam ..it’s the ” teacher’s fault.” The difference is.. If a doctor tells an unhealthy patient to eat healthier, lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking…, and the patient doesn’t listen..and dies…no one blames the doctor.

Flerp

You might want to tell the medical malpractice bar about this concept.

Flerp

I’ve long argued that tipping decisions in restaurants should be decided by a neutral arbitrator.

Vote NO!

Flerp.

There is NOT a jury anywhere that would award damages for malpractice based upon a patient’s death as I described below. However, because of the new teacher evaluation law thousands of teachers will lose their livelihoods based upon their students’ poor performance on standardized exams. Which in most cases will be more due to a student’s lack of effort,(for whatever reason) than a teacher’s “lack of instruction.” “Good luck” finding teachers for urban school districts in another 5 years.

What medical students would ever specialize in oncology or cardiology, if their license to practice was dependent on their patients’ survival rates? We would have a nation of “eye doctors” and ” foot doctors’ ..Too bad cancer and heart disease are the illnesses that kill the vast majority of people….

This scenario will be the same for urban school districts trying to attract, and retain teachers where their employment will be dependent on students’ test scores

Flerp

There’s always something in the file to scare the insurer enough to settle. People make good livings on this kind of frivolity, second only to the frivolity of securities class actions.

Analogies aside, are you making a specific argument about specific problems with “the new teacher evaluation law”? The one that’s in effect now, that limits the role of standardized tests in evaluations to 20% (assuming the trial court’s decision holds up)? If so, I don’t follow your argument that standardized exams will be the sole determinant of teachers’ careers. But I may have misunderstood you.

Vote NO!

Flerp,

That 20% is 100% in reality. It’s sort of like being “a little bit pregnant.” In the current educational environment “test scores” are the ” be it, and end all” of a teacher’s “effectiveness.” No NYC administrator will rate a teacher highly if their students are not doing well on standardized exams. The standardized exam numbers are now generated as part of a teacher’s evaluation. Regardless of the “percentage,” it’s a number that is out there for the entire DOE to see. Adminstrators will have to explain the contradiction between their “good observations” and the student’s “poor results” on the exams. In today’s climate, most NYC administrators will NOT “stick their necks out” for the teacher. Better to align the observations with the observable test score data, than anger the “higher ups.”

Look at how few NYC principals signed the petition against the new law. Most are afraid to speak up. As far as teachers go, most will NOT want to teach in schools with many high needs students. It’s sad, but under this new law, that would be a definite “career killer.” I guess you call it..”the law of unintended consequences.”

guest

So, when Cuomo wins, and Bloomberg gets his way….

If you get a bonus for 2 years of being a superduper teacher, what happens the 3rd year? Or, do you have to wait for your 4th year to get it again?
Hey, Larry. Where are you? The 5 teachers who get this will get a pension boost (if they get it twice). Tier 3 and 4 are based on the top three years. One can’t be more than 15%.

Can’t blame the union for this one. They don’t want this. This is all Bloomberg.

Larry Littlefield

“Tier 3 and 4 are based on the top three years.”

Changed to the top one year in 2000. I’m not sure “merit pay” and all the other battles are a good idea. I am sure they don’t matter.

gadfly1974

Cuomo has intimidated other state unions into submission, and he’s starting the same process with NYSUT.

What disappoints me is not Cuomo’s attempt to blame NYSUT for his court appeal. It’s Dr. King’s compliance with Cuomo’s demands.

I like John King, and I feel like he’s a bit over his head here.

I wonder if David Abram’s trumped up “Unauthorized Memo” firing was related to this situation. Maybe Abrams was uncomfortable with what the governor was planning, so they found a way to get rid of him?

http://twitter.com/DCD1976 Dana DiCostanzo

I deeply regret voting for this man. Shame on you, Governor Cuomo for holding desperately needy money for schools to push your political agenda. Clearly, you haven’t had time to read the paper; because what’s happening in Wisconsin could happen here. You were elected to represent the people not push your agenda.

Jay1

I saw the writing on the wall three years ago and finagled my way into non-regents subjects. As many have pointed out (but no one has the guts to tell the public), you can be ‘superman’ but if you are put in an impossible classroom situation, you will look like a ‘poor’ teacher.

What is an impossible situation? 1/4 of your students are drug addicts or abuse alcohol. 1/4 are so low IQ that it is a tragedy. 1/4 are ‘sweet’ human beings but have no work ethic at all. The final quarter are dispirited or from terrible home situations. Add to that almost all of them following the thug ‘gangsta’ ethos which derides education and book learnin’ and what do you think you can do?

So I see no future in this profession, even for the ‘supermen’ of the world. All it takes is one or two ‘bad’ evaluations or 1 or 2 days in which the students bomb the tests, and then – you’re out the door! Why would anyone go into teaching today (unless you teach non-regents classes or plan to teach in lily-white or asian suburbs)?

Jonny

Jay, all I can say is WOW! I thank you for your honest post. You have clearly demonstrated yourself as a racist who holds no respect for the students, families or community that pay your salary. If you honestly feel this way…yes, please do find an alternate career. We do not respect you, want you near our kids, or need you in our schools. I only wish that I could file for a refund of the taxes I have paid to support your salary…clearly those students unfortunate enough to have found themselves in front of you never had a chance. They simply don’t meet YOUR standard. What a waste of taxpayer money your salary and pension are.

Ljohnson562

Teachers MUST go on the offensive here before something is imposed on them that is unfair and unwanted. This is what I suggest:

If standardized tests are to be used to measure students and evaluate teachers, insist that these tests are designed to do both. Make certain that the test can measure the progress of each child in the class, including the sixth grader who reads at a first grade level. Insist that this high stakes test be treated as one with the same security as the SAT and GRE. The test should new each year and should be administered by outside people. No school person should see the test until the day of administration.

Teachers should insist that other professionals (administrators, teachers) be familiar with the progress of every student in the class. These people should come in the fall and test each child so as to get an idea of where each child is. Throughout the year, these individuals should check student’s progress on compositions, bench mark tests and other measures of progress. The teacher should ask, “Are my students showing satisfactory progress?” If the answer is No, ask the person to give you specifics and suggests ways to improve. Get it all in writing. Ask the professional to model a good lesson for you. Try to get everything in writing.

If a child is out of school three months of the year, make a note of this in his file (e.g. Jose went to Mexico Dec. 18 and came back March 21).

If your students show excellent progress on a daily basis but do not score well on the standardized test, now you have evidence that they did progress satisfactorily. If you are judged “Ineffective” on the basis of students’ low test scores, you now have “evidence” to show an attorney.

Teachers, it’s absolutely essential for you to play “hardball” too. If you do, you will “win” because the data is on your side. Good luck!

I noticed that…

If we have to be Wisconsinites in NYS, then let’s bring it on!

Cuomo will NOT be re-elected and he will go down in shame with Bloomberg.

Transformation Teacher

As a teacher who is currently facing a prospective “turnaround” I will go right out and say that I am willing to risk losing my position at my school and becoming an atr in order to ensure, that I will not just get fired altogether when I become too expensive down the line. If we give in to a new evaluation system it will be the end of life long teachers as we know it.